Millions die every year due to air pollution: Report

New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Over 5.5 million people die prematurely every year due to household and outdoor air pollution globally with China and India being the worst-hit, a report claimed.

According to the report, published by the World Bank and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation on Thursday, about 60 per cent of the total deaths occur in two of the world’s fastest growing economies — China and India.

The researchers in their report also claimed that air pollution is the fourth highest ranking risk factor for the death.

“Air pollution is the 4th highest-ranking risk factor for death globally,” the reports said, adding that 85 percent of the world’s population lives in areas where WHO air quality guidelines are exceeded.

In China and India, less than one per cent of the population lives in areas which meet WHO guidelines on air quality termed safe for breathing.

It shows that India lost 1.4 million lives to air pollution in 2013, out of which 9.2 lakh people lost their because of the household air pollution and 5.9 lakh due to the ambient air pollution.

While in China, 8.2 lakh people died due to the household air pollution and 9.1 lakh people because of the ambient air pollution out of its over 1.6 million deaths.

Household air pollution is caused by burning solid fuels for heating and cooking, including coal, wood or dung, the report said.